Key dates in the history of North Korea and its late leader Kim Jong-il

– April 15, 1912: North Korean founder Kim Il-sung is born in Pyongyang.

– Feb. 16, 1942: Kim Jong-il is born in a guerrilla fighters' camp on Mount Paektu, the highest peak on the Korean peninsula, according to official North Korean history. Some sources say he was born in a Siberian village, and that the year of his birth was 1941.

– Oct. 8, 1997: Kim Jong-il is named General Secretary of the Workers' Party.

– August 2008: Kim Jong-il reportedly suffers a stroke.

– July 21, 2010: The US imposes new sanctions on North Korea in a bid to stem Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

– Sept. 28, 2010: Kim Jong-un is promoted to four-star general and given leadership roles in the ruling Workers' Party – moves seen as confirmation that he is slated to become the country's next leader. The announcement is North Korean state media's first mention of Kim Jong Un.

– Oct. 10, 2010: Kim Jong-Un makes his public debut at what is believed to be the largest military parade the communist state has ever staged. The celebration in Pyongyang marks the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party but also serves as a coming-out party for the younger Kim.

– Oct. 11, 2010: Kim Jong-nam, the casino-loving eldest son of Kim Jong Il, says he opposes a hereditary transfer of power to his youngest half-brother. Analysts say Kim Jong Nam spends so much time outside his native land that his opinion carries little weight. He spoke to Japan's TV Asahi in an interview from Beijing.

– Jan. 28, 2011: Kim Jong-nam says his father opposed continuing the family dynasty into a third generation but named his youngest son as heir to keep the country stable, according to TV Asahi.

– Feb. 16, 2011: Kim Jong-il celebrates his 69th birthday.

– April 15, 2011: North Koreans honour the country's founder, Kim Il-sung, on the 99th anniversary of his birth. It is the nation's most important holiday and known as "The Day of the Sun."